


Experiment

by SweetAshori



Category: Dr. STONE (Anime), Dr. STONE (Manga)
Genre: Consensual Sex, Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, Drama, Drama & Romance, F/M, Romance, Senhaku, Sex, Sexual Content, Swearing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-12
Updated: 2020-06-12
Packaged: 2021-03-04 04:14:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 16,933
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24687460
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SweetAshori/pseuds/SweetAshori
Summary: Senku and Kohaku, while on a mission for gathering supplies, are stuck spending the night in a small cave after a sudden storm stopped them on their travel home. What started as a plan to keep warm turned into something that neither of them expected...
Relationships: Ishigami Senkuu & Kohaku, Ishigami Senkuu/Kohaku
Comments: 5
Kudos: 105





	Experiment

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: For obvious reasons, I don't own Dr. STONE.
> 
> Authoress' Note: Welcome to my third fic! I came up with this idea around the same time as I came up with the idea for Candlelight, although this one came out... a little more intense than I think I initially thought. Please enjoy!
> 
> Since we aren't sure what all of The Hundred Tales contains, I'm taking some liberties with the source material. It'll make sense as you read through the story!

There was one thing that hadn't changed in over 3700 years since Senku Ishigami was petrified and then eventually broke through his stone containment into the new world he was in now: Mother Nature was still in charge of the world around them, and she would act in whatever damn way she saw fit.

That fact was proven many times over as now he sat within a small cave, dripping wet from a sharp downpour, with a barely burning fire made of twigs and grass just barely inside the entrance to shield it from much of the heavy rain and wind, groaning at how it didn't seem like it was showing any signs of slowing down.

The day started off actually nice. Sun shining, light wind, some clouds but didn't sense any sort of drops in pressure or changes. No different than most days since he had made it to Ishigami Village, where he had established it as his Kingdom of Science, his home base as he started down the roadmap to eventually de-petrify every single human on Earth. The goal was to gather more supplies for the different inventions that he – along with many of the fellow villagers that rallied around him – had created in pursuit of this plan, some of the reserves from fellow scientist Chrome's life's work of collecting running low. Senku knew exactly where to go, knowing full well the path from many trips he had taken before. Everything was going the same as usual, and didn't expect any real changes.

A sneeze broke him from his reverie, and he looked over his shoulder at the source of the sneeze. She was the only real change to the usual run. Usually when he made these trips, it was with Chrome and Magma. But this time was different. Neither of them had come along, replaced by one lone person: the resident huntress, Kohaku.

He wasn't quite sure why she wanted to come along, usually preferring to stay within eyesight of the village to make sure she could keep it safe from any potential threat. Since Senku arrived, it had been one thing after another, one threat after another threat, and she didn't want anything to happen to her home. But she also had become a bit restless with her constant guard. She wanted to do something different, something that could take her mind off of thinking of the worst case scenarios, something that she could also use to further her training besides just sparring with the bodyguard duo of Ginro and Kinro. And so, once she learned of exactly what Senku was setting out to do this time, she offered to go with, knowing full well she could handle practically any threat against him while also acting as the brawn he needed to gather the materials he desired. She actually nearly begged to go, under the guise of wanting to allow the two men to take a break, saying that, based on what Senku had laid out, there wasn't a need for any extra manpower besides what she could provide.

It threw everyone for a loop with how she had acted, almost like a child on the verge of throwing a tantrum if she wasn't told “yes”. Instead of fighting it, Senku just shrugged his shoulders, allowing for it. Honestly, it's not as though he had any real objections. In the end, what mattered was getting the materials; whomever helped him out was of no consequence as long as they pulled their weight and followed his instructions.

And things went all accordingly to plan. They had packed their bags with the stones and materials they needed, and was carrying them back home when the weather began to shift. Suddenly the wind had began to pick up, rumbles of thunder began to echo in the distance, the sky began to darken, and they both knew there was danger incoming with no way to get home before it got worse. It was then they rushed to find a place to shelter until it passed, not having much time to react before the lightning grew closer. It was Kohaku's watchful eyes that spotted the cave they resided in now, and it was Senku's ingenuity that allowed him to gather what he could to create the small fire they had to attempt to keep them warm before it became soaked and useless.

That was how they ended here now, with the air growing colder, telling him that evening was coming. He wasn't sure how long the fire could last, nor how safely he could allow it to last. The cave was small, but it had enough room for them to stretch out and stay dry, which was important. However, even with the fire as close to the entrance as possible, a change in the wind could cause the light smoke it gave off to come inside the cave and suffocate them both. Sleep would not come easy tonight, although it wasn't as though it came easily anyway.

Another sneeze echoed off the walls, and once again Senku was looking over his shoulder. The fire, small as it was, was finding a way to warm the cave, but it wasn't quite enough. He had a bit of a chill himself, but it seemed as though it was worse for the usually unfazed Kohaku. She sat against one of the walls, illuminated faintly by the glow of a lighted branch from the fire, her legs bent in close to her body, arms around her knees with hands running up and down her upper arms in an attempt to warm herself. The soaking rain had brought the cold deep into her bones, and while she understood Senku's reasons for keeping the fire as far from the inner cave as possible, the bits that he would bring in closer to her wasn't enough to fully dry and warm herself up. She wasn't wearing anything different than the usual clothes she wore every day, with the exception of a scarf that her sister Ruri insisted she wore to cover her neck and shoulders, but it wasn't of any help now.

The male's brows furrowed, watching her as she struggled. She was not a weakling by any means, having watched her train hardcore even in the dead of winter, but that didn't mean she was invincible. She had no room to fight in here as a means to keep warm; all she could do was sit by the flame. Her wet clothes were a hindrance as well. The fabric would take hours to dry, even if she were sitting directly next to the fire as he was, and as long as the cloth remained wet, it would only cause her body temperature to continue to fall. With that came the risk of hypothermia, and with that came a worse potential fate. That was something he needed to correct, and quickly. He wasn't going to let anything, especially something like this, put her in danger. She was a valuable member of the Kingdom of Science, and more than that, she was a great friend and confidant. Her life had a lot of meaning to him, and he knew he could find a way to protect and save her.

Although the method that he knew would work for both of them was a bit... unnerving. Senku was a scientist. While, yes, he was human and could be just as emotive as any other being, doing things that had no logical connection to the known sciences annoyed him. That included most of the “warm and fuzzy” emotions that others would express and the closeness that can come from it. That didn't mean he didn't feel or express them in his own way, but his knowledge of what to do in this case was beyond what he would usually do. In fact, he was certain that Kohaku, knowing exactly how he was, would be questioning if the weather was making him delirious the moment he acted. However, he didn't know any other way that would work. She let out a wavy sigh, caused by a shiver that was obviously running through her body, and he rubbed the back of his head, brows furrowing further in annoyance. The night was coming, and the longer he waited to enact his plan, the worse things were going to become. Not just for her, but for him too, as a chill suddenly went up his spine.

Sea green eyes followed the scientist as he moved away from the entrance of the cave and towards her, kneeling down by where they had set down their bags that held all of their tools and materials. He opened the top of one of them, taking out everything from it. A blonde brow quirked, “What are you doing, Senku?”

“I actually placed a blanket at the bottom, figuring they could be useful in case we grabbed more than we could carry in these things. Since it was underneath everything, they should be dry,” he remarked, not looking up at her, “They could be dusty, but better than nothing.”

“Oh!” she exclaimed, happy to hear of such news; a blanket would do wonders right now! Of course, leave it to Senku to prepare for nearly any possibility! She should've thought more ahead herself, but in her excitement to be going out and do something different for the first time in forever, she didn't think as far ahead as he could've. She remembered her sword and daggers, as well as the scarf, but not much else other than what she was provided. The thought privately shamed her, but she didn't dare let him know.

Within minutes, the blankets were pulled out from their carriers, given a quick shake to remove as much of the dusty particles from its scratchy fabric, the materials returned back to their place and the bags then placed back up against one of the walls. Senku then placed one of the blankets down on the ground, spreading it out to make a covering to sprawl out on, with the other just piled on top haphazardly. After getting the blankets situation, he stood up, brushing himself off, sighing as he didn't look forward to the next step.

“Alright. Take off your clothes.”

Blink. Blink. “EHHHH!?!”

The sound of Kohaku's shriek echoed off of the walls and rung in his ears, causing him to twitch. Geez, what an unpleasant sound! Rubbing his ears, he glared at her, “You don't have to shout like that!”

“W-well, you just told me to take off my clothes! What sort of crazy perverted thing are you aiming at!?” she stammered, cheeks turning bright red.

“Your clothes are soaked. The longer you wear them, it'll cause your body temperature to lower. If your body temperature drops too low, you can get sick or even die. So you need to take them off, put them near the fire, and let them dry out,” he explained, his voice totally speaking in that matter-of-fact tone he was known for.

Kohaku curled up further, “You're insane! Getting naked isn't going to help either!”

A loud sigh emitted from his lips, and this was the part he hated. “Well, no. Not its own. But between the blanket and our body heat, it will greatly improve the chances of preventing hypothermia from setting in.”

“What!? What do you mean by that??”

“Ugh...” he responded, gritting his teeth; nothing about this was proving to be easy, and the longer he draws out his explanation, the more painful this was going to become, “We need to lay together. Like... cuddling.”

Blink. Blink. “EHHHHH!?!”

Once again, Senku rubbed his ears, “Will you stop that!?”

“You... you... you've lost it! This weather has completely washed out that brain of yours! How could you even suggest such a thing!? I would expect this sort of thing from someone like Ginro, but not you!” she screamed, embarrassed by everything he was suggesting; what the hell was going on with him?? Where was he coming up with this idea!?

“Look, I'm not comfortable with it either! But it's either this or risk death. Is that what you want? You rather risk death?” he yelled at her, obviously getting angrier, but he was also glowing red from the suggestion; it wasn't as though he was wanting to do this either, but he sure as hell wasn't about to do nothing, and come what may, he wouldn't let her just remain as she was either. His hope – something that he wasn't entirely a fan of, given the most precise nature of science – was that she would actually see reason and trust him...

The two glared at each other until Kohaku couldn't bear to look anymore. She shivered, but it wasn't just from the cold, and she could clearly feel and hear her heartbeat going wild. She didn't understand the science behind her, but she did think about it... there was times in winter where she and Ruri would cuddle up next to each other when a blanket wasn't enough, and it helped greatly with keeping them warm throughout those freezing nights. But they were dry, wrapped in their warmest clothes as well, and they were both women. This was opposite in practically every aspect, and the idea of being naked – well, close to it; she would definitely keep her undergarments on! – and cuddling up next to Senku of all people freaked her out worse than any enemy she's ever faced.

Actually, the idea of cuddling didn't seem AS bad, when she thought about it. It would be incredibly uncomfortable and awkward, sure, but if it was just laying next to one another sharing a blanket, that would've been okay. But not the idea of being so exposed; that part got her going crazy. Her nerves only heightened to higher levels of insanity as she eyed him taking his lab coat off, leaving him in just his makeshift boots and undergarments, and she desperately looked away. It wasn't that she hadn't seen him in such a way; one of their first jobs together was collecting magnetic dust from the river, to which they had both been undressed in order to better work in the water. But they weren't alone at that time; Chrome and Suika had both been around, and it never dawned on her how uncouth the idea of her being dressed the way she was around him. This was totally different, and she was highly aware of what was going on.

As she could start to feel her teeth chattering, she contemplated. She trusted Senku, knowing full well that he wouldn't have even suggested such a thing – obviously – if he didn't believe that it would work. However, it wasn't just that; despite his greedy nature to place science above all and not against using people to further his goals, he was a chivalrous sort of man. That first night they met, he commented that he would never take advantage of a woman in her sleep, one of the most vulnerable states she could ever find herself in. He had no need or interest in the illogical feelings of love and connection that she freely felt and shared with those closest to her. Hence, even in their unclothed state, she really had nothing to worry about, other than just feeling like she would explode from embarrassment. Which wasn't much different than how she felt right now.

Senku glanced over his shoulder, noticing she was still sitting there. Inwardly, he was growing frustrated. He understood how she could be feeling, but at the same point, he didn't care. If he had to, he would be more aggressive, forcing her to actually comply and listen to him. It was for his sake, of course, but for her sake as well. He would not let her get sick. He would not let that happen. Absolutely not. He was going to bring her home, safe and healthy as she was when they left, he swore to that. And to that extent, he would act in anyway he could, even if it made him out to be a villain as a result.

Luckily, it didn't seem he had to go that far. With hesitation, she stood up, first removing her scarf and then grabbing at the hem of her dress and pulling it up over her head. Senku looked away the moment her hands began to move the fabric, going to lay down on the spread out blanket, covering himself with the other with the second half of it folded over him, his gaze focusing on the fire as he waited for her to finish. The dress now moved over to an area of the cave, spread out in a way to dry out as he did with his lab coat, the scarf hanging upon a jutted out rock, she messed with the rope that held up her hair. She brushed her fingers through her hair, straightening it out and bringing it over to one side of her form, taking the rope to tie it into a ponytail. She figured that, by leaving it in its usual state, it would get in Senku's face and she didn't want to frustrate him further than he already seemed.

Although, she was sure that that frustration wasn't truly from a place of anger; this was an unusual and uncommon situation for both of them, and he was experiencing the same feelings of weirdness as she was. With her hair now tied down, she walked and knelt down on the blanket, laying down with her back turned towards him, not wanting to look at him at all during this time for the sake of her own sanity. Now that she was settled, he took the unused half of the blanket, pulling it over her, leaning over her slightly as he tucked it in underneath her – almost like a mother tucking in her child, she thought with an inner laugh – before laying down himself. She had to hold back the “eep” that threatened to escape her mouth as he pulled her close to him, feeling his broad chest against her back, his legs aligned with the curve of hers, the warmth of his breath tickling the hairs on her nape. One arm remained lazily across her waist as his other propped up his head slightly compared to the flat ground.

Her heart was racing harder than it was before. This was happening, this was real! Oh, she hoped he couldn't hear or feel it, but it was hard to know with how loud it was beating in her ears. She shut her eyes tight, trying to steady and relax herself. This was going to be a looong night if she was already feeling this stressed out. 'Relax... quiet... still... listen to the rain. Just relax,' she told herself over and over like a mantra, hoping that it would eventually start to work.

_`Listen to the rain... the wind... think about home... How is Ruri doing?... If it's storming there, are the children alright? Some of them aren't keen on the bright lights and sounds... My teeth aren't chattering as loudly as before; could this be working? Oh no, wrong train of thought!... Think of something else, anything else!... Huh... his breathing seems totally relaxed. Wish I could be that lucky...'_

Kohaku mentally smacked herself; this was actually too hard to keep up! There was no ifs, ands, or buts about this situation; there was no way in the world she could keep herself from drifting to thoughts of her unlikely bunkmate. She needed to think of a different tactic to keep herself sane... Oh, maybe just plain old conversation can work! Although what could they even attempt to talk about? Senku's conversations were usually long-winded, all about the scientific process and about things and people that were thousands of years before her time. Meanwhile, she didn't have a lot to add to such things, or able to converse on her own that he think he'd be interested in. Weapons and fighting, how they hunt and scavenge, telling the Hundred Tales that the founders – Senku's stepfather and his companions – had left behind... Granted, he'd probably find the tales to be interesting, merely from how those stories had come from his world, but she didn't know how long she could keep up telling them before he got bored.

 _'Think, think, think...'_ the huntress wracked her brain to try and come up with an idea, her brows furrowing and one hand curling its fingers into the blanket subtly in frustration.

Then she sighed softly, allowing for her shoulders to relax, her fingers to unhitch themselves from the fabric, her eyes slowly opened. She thought about what she wanted to talk about, a thought that had come into her head several times since the day the two of them had met, but had never thought to vocalize to him. Namely because she was unsure how to broach it, but with nothing but awkward silence and unsure feelings, it became the only thing she could even think to talk about.

“Hey, Senku...?” she asked softly, hesitantly.

“Yeah?” he acknowledged, not bothering to open his eyes to gaze upon her, not that she had any awareness that he had them closed in the first place.

“Do you think it's actually possible? To revive every single human?” her voice was cautious, wavy, quite unnerved.

“I wouldn't be pursuing it if I didn't think it was possible,” came the curt reply, but Kohaku could sense something off in his tone.

A lump of stress rested low in her chest, but still she pressed on. “I understand, but... it's been thousands of years. What if... if someone was too broken to be able to be revived?” she asked, “If their body had turned to dust and rubble, too small to bring together again?”

One scarlet eye opened, a mysterious scowl on Senku's face. All he could see was the back of Kohaku's head, but he could tell that she was slowly scrunching into herself, as if to try and disappear out of regret or embarrassment. Obviously this was something she had to be pondering about for awhile, not just some sort of casual conversation. He sighed heavily, raising his head to rest upon a propped up hand.

“I won't lie, it's a thought I've had.”

Kohaku made a small surprised noise, not turning her head but still turning her gaze towards him. “Over 3700 years, with how much the world has changed and how much nature had overtaken the land, knowing full well how elements can erode stone... there's a strong chance that many of the humans that were petrified may never wake up again, even if we use the revival fluid,” he remarked, obviously pained by admitting the truth, “It's possible that we can succeed, but there's a chance of failure no matter what paths we take.”

Kohaku looked away, lids drooping as she felt that hard pang of unease, her hands balling up into tight fists, nails making marks into her flesh. Senku could notice her change in demeanor, and a part of him hated how she acted to his answer. He knew that it actually wasn't to the answer itself – she surely knew that this was the answer she was likely to receive – but because of her own personal regrets. He did not hide well his tone, of how the idea of failure was something he didn't like to think about, and now she felt those same feelings. She wanted to know the answer, but not if it meant making him feel a negative way. The hand that held up his head twitched slightly and he sighed heavily.

“However, that's not something we're going to have to worry about.”

“Hmm?” Kohaku jolted, eyes widening as she turned around to meet Senku's gaze, seeing that trademark smirk playing his lips.

“We'll succeed, one way or the other. After all, we hadn't failed yet, have we?”

Her mouth slightly parted, staring blankly at her companion, then smiled and nodded gently, “Yeah, you're right.”

She turned back around, but yet that pang in her chest didn't go away. If anything, it grew stronger. “I'm sorry, Senku,” she replied as she nuzzled herself back onto the blanket, “I guess... I just...”

She trailed off, unable to complete the words that wanted to come forth from her lips. Damn it, Kokaku, she cursed herself; she would never be this lost for words if it wasn't for this awkward situation! Why did she volunteer to do this again? Oh yeah, to stop being so restless and worried and overthinking about what horrible things could come to the place and people she loves. She wasn't thinking of that now, for sure, but she was starting to wonder if those thoughts would've been better than this.

Senku could tell she was struggling, and he sighed again. His arm pulled her closer to him, much to her continued internal blustering, and she had to fight back a blush as she felt the tickle of his warm breath against her nape even more than before. “Are you feeling warmer?” he asked, changing the subject in hopes of settling her down.

“Y-yes, a little bit,” she replied, receiving an acknowledging grunt in return.

And once again, it was quiet saved for the noises of the nature around them, leaving Kohaku once again struggling to figure out another set of thoughts that kept her from thinking about the current predicament she was in. It was a lot harder this time, she found, as all she could do was focus on their closeness. Bare skin upon bare skin, the rise and fall of his chest against her back, their legs curled and aligned but could easily become entangled with one another, the accidental tickles of his twitching fingers against her stomach... Every time the blonde tried to ignore it, there it came back, reminding her of the position they were in.

Then came the most naughty of thoughts... Because of their state of undress and their closeness, she was now acutely aware of what else was close to her, and now that she had realized it she felt like she was going to jump out of her skin. _'Shitshitshit--!'_ her mind screamed, 'What do I do about this now!?'

It wasn't like she was unaware of the obvious differences between their genders, or things related to those differences. As part of The Hundred Tales, as budding teens, they were all told the story of the birds and the bees, much to some awkward chagrin. Surely Senku heard the same story, albeit likely different given how much the tale had changed over 3700 years, and it made her wonder if it was awkward for him as well. To be nearly naked, with his appendage against her body, with only cloth separating--

 _'Damn it, shut up!!'_ she yelled at herself, squirming as she reacted to her personal embarrassment; the last thing she wanted to think about was the idea of his entire bare form against her.

Senku made an uncomfortable groan, gritting his teeth slightly in reaction to her squirming. “Hey, uh... can you not do that?” he asked, his voice obviously strained.

Kohaku blinked, eyeing over her shoulder. Wait... did she accidentally... She wanted to turn around to see his face to determine if she was right or not, but the tone of his voice practically told her everything she needed. She shifted slightly again, making an apology and explaining that she was just trying to get comfortable, earning another groan in return. She was right! Now not only was she embarrassed and her body was warming up due to the heat of that, but now a devilish thought came to her mind... she was causing a reaction to him due to their proximity. An unintended reaction, to be sure, but a reaction all the same.

Of all the things--!! The lioness was beside herself, bringing a hand up to her mouth to keep her from screaming out loud. Oh, how she wanted to turn around and see his face right now! If she did, she would certainly be surprised at the expression the usually stoic Senku was showing.

He had to admit, this was something he didn't fully think through. Yes, he was right in terms of the science and fact involved, but he didn't think exactly about the biologic consequences of his plan. He had no real interest in the illogical aspects of love, companionship, and sex, but that didn't mean that his body held the same ideals. He rationalized that, while this was going to be unpleasant and awkward, it was for the greater good of them both. However, as she moved in her attempts to find a comfortable place to rest, it was doing something... more... to him than he initially planned for.

The scientist cursed his mind for this; he was so focused on the idea of saving Kohaku from a potential freezing death, and not how being so intimately close to her was going to affect him. Damn him, damn her, damn biology, damn... No, this wasn't productive. Cursing wasn't going to fix anything, and he knew it. Instead, he tried to focus on something else. Anything else. Definitely didn't want to focus on the little noises she was making. Not going to focus on how soft her skin felt against his own, not going to focus on how perfectly aligned his arm was across her waist, not going to focus on how uncomfortable the fabric of this day and age was against his groin... _'Damn it,'_ he inwardly groaned, trying to subtly adjust himself before she could even pick up on the idea of his current state. Even in this stone world, he HAD to assume that she understood the basic anatomy and functions of their individual sexual organs. Not that it was something he was wanting to inquire and explore at this moment.

However, subtle was something Kohaku trained herself to sense, and there was nothing subtle that he could do that she wouldn't notice. He was definitely experiencing _something_ down there. Oh boy, if any of the other villagers could see them now... Wait, no, that would be a bad idea if they did, for both of them. Still, what does she do now? Try to ignore it for both of their sakes? Question him about it? Make a joke to break the ice? What sort of joke could she even make about this situation?

… Then her thoughts shifted. She began to wonder... back in his old world, was this an issue he dealt with before? Not in this same circumstance – with all of the modern things he's told them of, this sort of thing was something she was sure he never had to do – but with the issue of arousal? She knew of Taiju and Yuzuriha, his friends that had also emerged from the stone as he did, and how the two of them had a budding romance back then and now; did he ever have the same feelings for another person? Nah, that was unlikely, given his aversion to romance, but... could it be? Oh, maybe it was rejection that also caused his aversion, not just his pursuit of science. Or perhaps there wasn't one specific person that caught his attention, but many... Now she was all curious!

Still, what a subject to ask him about. How would she even broach such a subject? Would he even answer her, or shut her down before she could even get the inquiry out? How should she handle any questions shot back at her over the whys of her curiosity? She didn't quite have an answer to any of those questions, but like the regret that pained her earlier, the desire to settle her restless mind was growing too great to handle.

“Hey, Senku?” she asked, just as hesitantly as before.

“Yeah?” he asked, just as gruff as before.

“Back in your time... was there every anyone you really cared for? Besides your dad and friends, I mean.”

One scarlet eye opened, “Eh?”

“Like... like how you told us about Taiju and Yuzuriha. Or how Chrome cares for my sister,” she pressed on, “Is there anyone else in the stone that could be waiting for you?”

The scientist scoffed, “What sort of question is that? I told you before, illogical things like a head filled with love is the most annoying and inconvenient thing in the world.”

“I know, but... I mean, even someone like you isn't immune to such a thing, Senku,” she stated bluntly, “Especially at our age. So I was just curious, that's all.”

He scoffed again, but that was the only comeback he had at the moment. What the hell was with this line of questioning all of a sudden? Why did she suddenly want to have some sort of love gossip conversation with him? She knew him and his feelings; what would even give her the idea that he had any interest in someone else like that from his time? Was she really that bored? Or... damn biology, he had to figure that she was also being affected by the same things he was. It wasn't a surprise, of course; if anything, it'd be shocking if she was so apathetic to such impulses given the current situation. However, this was definitely something he was NOT going to explore with her. Not now. Probably not ever.

 _'Probably?'_ he questioned himself, surprising himself that he didn't automatically go with a ten billion percent chance of definitely not. His brain must be starting to warp; he needed to make sure to stop this conversation in its tracks before it even started to lead anywhere.

“You know, I bet there's someone in the stone waiting for you.”

Blink. Blink. “What?”

Kohaku turned slightly, allowing her to get a half look at her bedmate. “I mean, just because you're not interested in romance doesn't mean there wasn't a girl from your time that found you to be attractive. I mean, besides your looks, I'm sure there's plenty of girls that were interested in your mind,” she explained, a teasing smile playing her lips, “And surely one of them wouldn't be turned off by your aloof nature to try and pursue you, if they had the chance.”

Brows furrowed as Senku sat up slightly, providing them both with relief from their close contact for a moment. “What the hell are you even on about?” he asked, mostly annoyed but partly curious on where she was going with this.

Kohaku turned and got up as well, supporting her upper body on her bent elbows. “Well, if someone as sweet and cute as Yuzuriha can fall for a big oaf like Taiju, in your own words, or if someone like Chrome can catch the eye of someone like my sister, it leaves me to reason that someone would also fall for someone like you. A handsome, stoic, scientific type? I could see someone being attracted to such qualities,” she continued, raising one hand in the air with a pointed finger as she spoke.

The moment the words left her mouth, however, she began to feel a tinge of uncertainty on where the conversation was going hitting the back of her mind. A small tinge, but it still lingered. Yet, despite it, she continued to press forward, bringing the pointed finger to her chin, looking up at the cave ceiling with a questioning gaze. “Hmm...” she hummed as she pondered.

Senku watched her with careful, furrowed eyes. “I could imagine she'd be a cute scientist type too. Nowhere as smart or crafty as you are, of course, but she has a mind,” she continued, ignoring the look she was getting, “After all, I don't think you'd want to be with anyone that didn't have some massive interest in science. Although, maybe not... If she was too smart, you'd probably get into competitions with each other, and that'd probably put a damper on romance.”

There was a rise in emotions coming through Senku's form. At first, this prattling was annoying him, but now it was starting to tick him off. There was also a small dash of anxiety, although he wasn't quite sure why that was there. But he did know this: he wanted her to shut up.

“Or maybe she's not like you at all. Maybe she's more like Ruri. Graceful, beautiful, quiet. Intelligent, but not in the same sense as you,” she continued, tapping the finger against her bottom lip, “Someone that admires you from afar, waiting for the moment to approach and learn more about you and your world. Maybe asking to participate in an experiment with you. Oh, that definitely sounds right when I think about it!”

Scarlet eyes lingered on her bouncing finger, then up to her widened sea-green orbs. “Kohaku,” he called out, his tone a mixture of irritation and desperation for her to quiet her mouth, but it went ignored.

“Yep, that definitely sounds like the type that'd be attracted to you. And even though she might not understand all of the mumble-jumble you say, she'd be a really good sport about it and would even surprise you with how fast she can catch on,” the blonde rambled on, somehow getting excited over describing Senku's potential mate while also ignoring the increasing lump in the back of her mind that was telling her to stop.

However, what was getting her more was the reason why she telling herself to stop. It wasn't because she was regretful or worried that she was making Senku upset. It was with her. She was starting to feel... envious. Envious of the idea of someone out there among the stone statues that would be interested in the leader of the Kingdom of Science in such a way, even though there was no guarantee of such a thing. She was joking around, thinking of something totally hypothetical based off of her curiosity and a need for distraction, but yet she was starting to feel envious, jealous, and that was actually spooking her a bit. Why would she ever feel such a thing in relation to Senku of all people? It made no sense!

Still, she didn't stop, continuing to go on with her vision, “You know... that's probably how she'd admit her feelings too. In the middle of an experiment, feeling confident on how it's going, and then it gives her confidence to confess something special to you.”

“Kohaku--” Senku said again, a bit louder this time, ignoring the extra thump-thump of his heartbeat increasing; was it from anger or the anxiety?

“It almost sounds too romantic, thinking about it. It's something I can easily see for Chrome and Ruri too. Her face all bright and blushing as she finally decides to share her feelings.”

“Kohaku, will you--” he tried again, one hand clenching into a fist; how could he get her to shut up!? He didn't want to continue to hear this. Not about him with someone else. Not wanting to hear her talk like this, not just because of the subject, but because--

“Although I can't imagine how you'd react. But I'd like to think you wouldn't be so tactless to break a young girl's heart. No, I think you could accept it. In your own Senku way, but still. And she'd probably be thrilled to finally have her feelings returned. Especially after spending so many years in stone.”

She laughed, although more to calm herself down, that nagging feeling growing heavier now. She's going too far, she knows it. He was certainly getting upset by now. She knew she had to stop, but still she laughed. Turning her head, she brought her hand up to brush back some hair that got in her face.

“Sorry, Senku. I'm sure this isn't something you-- mmph!”

Suddenly Senku grabbed her wrist, pulling her arm and forcing her into an almost sitting position, leaning towards her, his lips crashing upon hers. The huntress' eyes were wider than they ever been, left completely speechless by what was transpiring. Senku was kissing her. _Senku. Kissing. Her._

Honestly, it was surprising him too. Granted, it was doing what he wanted: he made her shut up. But this wasn't the way he expected to go. Nothing else was working, but this way... he just reacted. No thoughts, no consideration of the risks, no calculations. Just a reaction, pure and simple. There was an underlying reason, he knew that; nothing happens without some sort of reason, but he couldn't find one for this. Could he have... wanted to do this? No, not likely... But he was intrigued at how bright her irises were. Even in the growing darkness of the cave, he could see their vibrant hue. How did his eyes look to her, he wondered?

The kiss lasted a few seconds, but it was slow to end, a lazy parting of appendages and pulling back. Senku released her arm, the limb falling limp next to her covered body, the two unable to look away from one another. Her eyes were still wide, lips parted slightly as she finally let go of the breath that stuck in her lungs. She couldn't tell what Senku was thinking by the expression on his face; he seemed as stoic and detached as he usually did, his red eyes telling her nothing of what could be going on within his mind.

She shakily licked her lips. “Wha... what was that about?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

“An experiment,” came the reply, his tone steady and normal.

“An... experiment?”

“Yeah. You weren't listening to me otherwise. I kept trying to get you to shut up, but you kept on rambling. Seems as though it worked,” he answered, shrugging his shoulders.

Kohaku watched as he stretched and laid back down again, gently pulling her down with him, the two going back to the laying position they were at before. This time, however, she didn't feel the same feelings of awkward embarrassment as before. Her heart was racing and her body was warm, but not from their contact. That... he kissed her to shut her up? He used such an act as an experiment because he couldn't find another way? That was it? Really?

She was angry. _Very_ angry! How dare he!? She was having fun! She was joking around, but he decides to kiss her because he wanted her to shut up! Maybe if he had yelled at her, she would've heard him, but it's not her fault she didn't hear him! How dare he do that!? That was her first kiss, too! And out of all of the people and reasons... sure, she didn't have a strong romantic sense compared to other ladies in the village, but that didn't mean she'd just so willy-nilly give herself away like that! But _nooo_ , Senku had to be the one to take her first kiss, and all for such a stupid reason!

That anger began to mix with shame... Yes, he shouldn't have done what he did, but if she didn't start down this hole, perhaps he wouldn't have resorted to something he had seen as a drastic measure. She was curious, yes, but she could've just left it alone after her initial question. But no, she wanted to continue talking, wanted to have something to do that broke the odd silence of their situation, wanted to focus on something that wasn't related to the pubescent thoughts that ran through her head, but look where that got her now. She was mad at him, but she was more angry with herself.

Her eyes began to well up, and she was trying to keep her breathing steady. She didn't want Senku to notice her plight. But the harder she tried to keep the sobs back, the harder it became to keep it a secret. It was only a matter of seconds before she would begin to quiver, before she'd start to choke on the sobs she was holding back, and he would definitely take notice. That was something she did not want to deal with now. She didn't want to deal with him now. She wanted to go home, wanted to go somewhere where she couldn't be found, wanted to be alone.

She wanted to run away. She needed to run away. Away from this cave. Away from this situation. Away from Senku.

In a huff, she threw back the blanket, Senku's arm flying back along with it, standing up as fast as she could and stomping over to where she had placed her clothes. “What the hell?” the scientist asked, shocked by the sudden move, “Kohaku, what are you doing?”

She didn't answer him, grabbing her dress and pulling it over her head. It was namely cold with some dampness to parts of the cloth, but she didn't care. Senku untangled himself from the cloth, standing up, “What are you doing? Those can't be dry yet--”

“I don't care.”

The tone of her voice unnerved Senku; he had never heard her voice sound so cold before. As she reached for her scarf, he stomped towards her, reaching out to grab her wrist in an attempt to stop her, flinching as she smacked his hand away with a loud crack. His eyes were wide open, stunned at how she was acting, but that didn't stop him from trying again.

“Kohaku, what's--”

“Leave me the fuck alone, Senku,” she replied, her tone sounded like there was a threat to her words, slapping him away again.

He didn't stop; something was clearly wrong, and she was wanting to leave, but while the storm was starting to subside, it wasn't safe for her to go out yet. But it wasn't just for her safety; he wanted to know what exactly set her off like this. No, he knew what happened. It was what he did. He kissed her, out of the blue and with no provocation other than wanting to silence her. And because of that, she was acting out. But exactly why? He explained himself; there was nothing more to it. Did she expect something more and now she was angry that she didn't receive it? No, Kohaku was not that type of girl, he knew better than to think that way of her. But what then?

The only one that could answer that was her. As she grabbed her scarf, he grabbed her wrist, causing her to snap and turn around, allowing him to catch a glimpse of her barred teeth and streaming tears. She broke away from him, emitting a warning growl, moving to reach for the bag she carried before, knowing that her weapons were in there. She didn't get far before he grasped her wrist again, reaching for the other one at the same time.

“Stop!”

“I said leave me alone!”

“I won't!”

“Get away from me!”

“No!”

Despite the obvious difference in their strength, Senku managed to push her back harshly against the cave wall, the scarf falling from her fingers as she seethed, pushing himself against her in an effort to keep her from breaking past him. “Damn it, what is wrong with you?” he yelled, angry and confused and desiring an answer to whatever madness she was feeling, “Why are you acting like this?”

“Why the hell do you care!?” she finally bit back, her voice cracking as she shouted, not giving a damn about how loud her voice was sounding as it bounced off the walls.

Their gazes met: his filled with anxious surprise, hers with pained anger. Her chest heaving from the harsh breaths she was taking, his heart beating as though he had ran a dozen miles. A loud clap of thunder was heard, followed by a flash of lightning that illuminated them in a harsh, dramatic light. She began to fight, but he held his ground, gritting his teeth as she stepped on his foot, hoping that it would force him to move and becoming even more angry when it didn't work.

“You can't go out there yet, not with this storm. You can get hurt or even killed!”

“I don't care!”

“Kohaku, stop struggling!”

“Go to hell, Senku! Why do you even care if something happens to me? You don't actually care; the only thing you'd be upset with is losing a fighter,” she bit back, not caring about holding back anymore, “It doesn't matter what happens to me. You still got Magma, Ginro, Kinro! Hell, my father too. If something happens to me, so fucking what!? Not like I matter to you. No one matters to you!”

His grip on her wrists tightened, “How the hell do you figure that!?”

Now he was getting pissed; how dare she say such things like this about him? Accusing him of not caring about her... how could she even think that? Everything he was attempting this evening was for her! To keep her safe, to keep her from getting sick, to make sure she got home in one piece to her sister and father and the rest of the village. If that wasn't caring about her, he didn't know what was!

She seethed, finally forcing herself free. Screw her weapons; she can get by without them. All she wanted to do was get somewhere away from him, by any means necessary. She took one, two steps towards the cave entrance, then was stopped by Senku's forceful grasp of her shoulder. “I said LEAVE ME ALONE!” she screamed, slapping his hands away again, but he didn't back down.

“Kohaku, stop!” he pleaded, his own voice cracking as he struggled with her, their legs entangling themselves with one another as they tried to gain control, causing Kohaku to fall back, hitting the rocky floor with a severe thud, feeling sharp stones cut into her arms and back, hissing at the pain it caused her, Senku landing on top of her with a groan. Quickly, he regained composure, grabbing her wrists, pinning them above her head, their faces only inches away from each other. Another flash of lightning with a light thunderclap as they stared at one another.

“Stop... please, stop,” he begged, panting from the exhaustion of the battle; this was why he didn't fight. He was strong, sure – handling everything he has done in the stone world helped in garnering more strength for him – but Kohaku was truly trained to be a fighter; the fact he was able to hold his own against her was astonishing enough, but it left him physically drained.

The lioness was as well, groaning and yelling as she tried to force him off of her, but giving up as well. She could fight, but what was the point now? Every part of her was feeling tired and broken, and all she could do was lay there now. She broke her arms away from his grasp, bringing them over her shamed face, her screams turning into loud, painful sobs, her body quivering as she struggled to breathe, ignoring the tingle of blood trickling slowly out of the wounds she now had.

“Damn it... damn it... why... why did this happen?” she struggled to get out between each wretched sob, her voice a broken mess and she was sure he didn't understand her at all, even more so than he already didn't understand right now.

With hesitation, Senku got up from her, ready to pounce if she made a move to run away, but all she did was sit up, bending her legs in to rest on their sides, keeping her eyes covered as to not look at the man before her. She couldn't stand seeing him, how he was looking at her now, didn't even want to know what manner of words was going through his head as he was watching her act in such an unbecoming way. A way not fitting for the mighty warrior he needed her for.

“I'm such a damn idiot,” she berated herself, “Acting like a fool. Talking about stupid romantic things. For what reason? Because I was bored? Because I was so thrown off by us laying together? Why should I be? It's like you said, it was either this or risk death. That's all it was.”

Her left hand clenched, her arms shifted, keeping her eyes covered but her fist crashing against the rocky wall, ignoring the pain that came from the harsh hit, Senku flinching and instinctively reaching out to prevent her from doing it again, stopping as her arm fell limp.

“You're right. A brain filled with thoughts of love is illogical. It's stupid. It's useless. It's pathetic,” she continued, taking in a deep breath and letting out in chunks, “I didn't intend to go as far as I did. But I did. I got caught up in wanting to not think about you. Thinking about you being next to me. Thinking about how you were holding me, how I could feel you breath and twitch and move and how much it was making my heart race.”

Senku could feel something swelling up inside of him again, as before. But this time, he wasn't sure it was related to anger or annoyance. Anxiety, for sure, but what else...?

“I'm such a fucking fool. And what's worse, you had to kiss me to shut up. You had to kiss me! Out of all of the asinine things, THAT was the only way to make me shut up! My first kiss, probably your first one too, all because of such a stupid thing!” she yelled, her sobs breaking into an strained, gut-wrenching, harmful laugh, “I'm sorry, Senku. I'm sorry you had to resort to something so drastic to get me to shut my mouth.”

She threw her hands up in the air, “But hey, it worked, right? Your experiment, it worked! I definitely shut up there. I mean, what could I even say to that!?”

She looked at him, her vision cloudy and blurred, and he could see how much pain she was experiencing. He could feel it, like a stabbing pain in his chest, and he held in a breath, his shoulders squaring up as if he was bracing himself for some sort of impact. She didn't make a move to strike him. All she could do was smile, a crooked and broken smile. Her right hand went to her chest, clenching at her dress, “I'm sorry, Senku. Truly, I'm sorry that I had to force you to do something so damn stupid because I was an idiot that didn't know when to keep quiet. I let myself say the type of things you hate, became the type of person you hate, and I didn't listen when you wanted me to stop. I'm the fool here. I'm the bloody damn fool!”

Senku could feel his body shaking, his hands clenching, his brows furrowing, his teeth gritting, his stomach hurting. He couldn't stand what he was seeing, what he was hearing. This wasn't the Kohaku he's always known. This wasn't the strong, prideful woman that had brought him to the village and became one of the closest friends he had in this stone world. No, this was a side of her he had never seen before, but he knew he hated it. Despised it. And despite what she was saying, he had a part to play in bringing this side forth. He wanted to yell, scream, tell her to stop, but he knew she wouldn't listen. Not like this. But she needed to stop. He needed her to stop. No more yelling, no more berating, no more harming herself, no more!

“Damn it... I hate myself for this. I hate all of this. I--”

Once again, she was cut off by his lips pressing harshly against her own, but this time it was different. His left hand firmly grasping her shoulder, his right hand caressing one side of her face, his eyes firmly shut. He could taste the salt of her tears, her body was quivering, and she could sense a change in tone from the first. Last time, it was simple, no real feeling or emotion, just a firm pressure. This time... this time, it felt desperate. He wanted her to shut up, yes, but there was more to it. And despite herself, her eyes closed, and she began to press back.

Something was snapping, something was breaking, and she needed this. He needed this. She shifted, her arms reaching for him, pulling herself closer to him, his hand moving from her cheek to the back of her head. They parted for merely a moment before their lips came together again, unable to find the means to stop. Kohaku felt like she couldn't breath, but she didn't want to let go. The last thing she wanted to do was let go. Senku didn't know why he was doing this, knowing what had happened before, but he didn't care. He needed to her to stop, he needed to show her, to tell her, and mere words wouldn't work. Not for what he was feeling, not for what they were experiencing, not for this.

Eventually, the moment has passed, the passion had past, and now that the fire in their chest had cooled, the two parted, eyes opening, vision blurred at first, lips swollen from their battle. A calloused thumb brushed against Kohaku's bottom lip, and through wet lashes vibrant irises became lost in a sea of red.

“Senku...?” she whispered, questioning but unsure what the question was.

“Don't ever think that you don't matter, that you're a fool or an idiot or anything like that,” he responded sharply, the hand still on her shoulder digging into her skin, “Not for another second, you hear me? Don't ever think that way again.”

She looked away, biting down on her bottom lip, attempting to pull away from the grasp he had on her chin, but he kept the course, forcing her to look back at him. “Listen to me, Kohaku!” he demanded, and she stiffened up, “Don't you ever, ever think that way again! Got it!?”

Tears began to form in her eyes again, and her hands formed into fists on her lap. “W-why?” she stuttered, “Why do you care?”

He sighed, gingerly brushing the tears that fell down her cheek with his thumb. “When have I ever implied that that I didn't care about you?” he asked, flashing her that signature smirk of his.

She blinked, mouth agape at the words, then chuckled through a sob, breaking away from his grasp, bringing up her arms to rub away the tears from her face, feeling a twitch of pain run through as she did. She blinked, looking at her arms. “Oh...!” she gasped, noticing the scratches and cuts at last. None of them were bleeding anymore, but it was obvious that they did. Her gaze met the floor, seeing the splotches of blood on the rocks despite the dim light brought from the dying fire. Senku now took notice of her wounds, groaning as he ran a hand through his hair, feeling guilty as he was the one that caused the injuries.

He stood up, walking over to their sacks and digging through the one Kohaku had carried, finding a clay flask he had carefully placed inside. “Good, it didn't break,” he muttered, “It's going to sting like hell, but I got some alcohol for the wounds. Should keep them being disinfected.”

That relief turned to annoyance when he realized he didn't have anything for bandages. The blankets he brought could've been used, but they still needed them for the night. To rip up one of the blankets meant less coverage for the night, and such a thing wouldn't do. As he debated his options, Kohaku watched , then reached for the scarf she had dropped in the shuffle. She held it up to Senku with an unsure smile. “I can always tell Ruri we had no choice,” she explained, understanding without words exactly what he was thinking.

He chuckled, smirking as he took the scarf, thanking her in the process. Kohaku set back against the wall, watching as he ripped the fabric into strips, the sound causing her to cringe as how off-putting the noise echoed. It sounded as bad as some of the things Senku and Chrome would work on in the lab, but she knew it would end soon enough and she dealt with the odd sound. Once Senku figured he had enough to cover the worst of the wounds as well as a large piece for cleaning, he knelt down in front of the injured blonde, gently holding up one of her arms, looking it over. Luckily, most of the wounds she had were scratches. They were red, but they would heal quickly; a brushing over with the alcohol should be enough. But there was one that was definitely larger and deeper that would require a bandage to keep safe. Eyes and hands moved over to the other arm. He found another, slightly larger than the first. Next came her legs, knowing that she could've easily garnered a wound during their tumble. A few scratches on her right upper thigh, but nothing major.

Kohaku blushed, trying to ignore the brushing of his fingertips against the sensitive skin of her upper legs, but dismissed it; it was just ticklish, that was all. Even if it was Ruri or Suika or anyone else doing it, she would've reacted the same. Senku motioned for her to turn around, wanting to examine her back. She nodded, moving and turning around, sitting with her knees folded in as she stared at the cave wall, focusing on the shadows so as to not be bothered by the observation she was under.

Her back was worse for wear, but that was not a surprise. He did have to slam her hard against the wall, not to mention the fall, so the amount of scratches and scars was about what he expected to see. There was a tear in her dress, the fabric butterflied to reveal more of her lower back than usual. He only moved it enough to check for wounds, he told himself for sure, and tried to ignore the little flutter in his heart when she made a little noise as she flinched from the whispered touch on her skin. Overall, it looked worse than it was. Two deeper cuts, smaller than the ones on her arms. He looked at the material he had; not enough to wrap around her body and cover the wounds. He would have to stick only to the alcohol for now; once they got home, he'd make sure she would get them wrapped for a day or two.

He pulled the stopper from the container, pouring the bubbly liquid onto the larger cloth piece. With it soaked, he placed it against her back, apologizing as she yelped and seethed. She dug her fingers into her arms, receiving a gentle scolding to not do so to keep from accidentally making her other wounds worse. She apologized, relaxing her grip but her teeth remained gritted. Thankfully, the worse was over before she knew it, the blood stains cleared away, and the wounds themselves cleaned of any particles that he could see. With her back cleaned, she turned back around. Senku added more alcohol to the cloth, picking up her left arm and placing the cloth to it, apologizing again as she cried out again. He tried to speed through the process, not enjoying at all the twisted pained expression she was sporting, although he was still cautious as to make sure he didn't miss over anything. After both arms were cleared and the alcohol nearly all gone, he moved onto wrapping the wounds.

It was a gentler motion than what he did with the cleaning, yet it was the part that filled him with more dread for a reason he didn't quite understand. He took the cloth, holding one end down with deft fingers as he rotated the rest of it around. Kohaku watched with half-lidded eyes at how he worked, occasionally glancing over to stare at his face. His brows were furrowed, crimson orbs steady on his work, the shadows making no reservations on showing how ragged the man was looking. The night was crawling on, the storm now just a steady rainfall with a light breeze, and it was certainly passed their usual bedtime. It was only a matter of time before the call of sleep would come and claim them both, but not yet. No, there was still work to be done.

With one bandage tied off, Senku began to wrap her other arm. He glanced up at her, noticing her gaze on his hands. Thump-thump... thump-thump... he didn't know if he was enjoying the extra beating in his chest. It wasn't as though he was doing anything special, it was just basic first aid, but yet she watched them with as much intensity as he knew she watched him as he worked in the lab. It didn't bother him there, so why was it bothering him now? He tucked and tied the cloth, letting go of her arm and allowing to rest where it may. Their gazes met for a brief moment, turning away quickly and leaving them both unsure of what to do next.

At the start of this evening, things were strange but straightforward. Spoon for warmth, get through the awkwardness of the entire situation with hopefully little issue, sleep, get up at dawn's first light, and make their way back home carefully as can be. But now... now there was something in the air that neither of them were sure what it was, what to do about it, what they could do about it, if they should do anything about it. A dirtied hand ran through his green-ombred locks, his other hand clenched into a fist. Damn it, this is why he pushed away any semblance of emotion whenever he had the chance, because he didn't like the feelings he was dealing with now. What was going to happen if this isn't resolved before morning? How will the two of them work together from now on, with this hanging over their heads? Could they even work together now? How could they, knowing that every time they were in close proximity to each other they could remember this and how it could negatively affect their work? Not just their work relationship, but their friendship as well. What did this spell for them? Would she start to expect something more? Or would she pull away? Would he do the same to her? Did he want something more now? The more he thought about it, the more frustrated he became.

Kohaku shifted, and his gaze shifted with her. She pulled in her legs, sitting as she did before, but this time he was sure it wasn't just from the cold. Arms crossed over knees, with her right fingers absentmindedly brushing her lips, obviously lost in some sort of wistful haze. A lump formed in Senku's throat as he stared, and that fluttering his chest grew louder and louder. He couldn't get himself to look away from her, at the whispered touch of her dainty fingers against the appendage.

He thought back on what happened before, on how he had taken possession of those lips twice now. Particularly the second time... he didn't have to kiss her again. He could grabbed her, shaken her, yelled at her, but he didn't. He could've forced her to look at him and tell her what he needed to say, but he didn't. He had to kiss her. He wanted to kiss her. He needed to kiss her. Why of all things did he feel compelled to do such a thing? Why was he focusing on such a thing? It was done, over with, it is what it is, so why was it that he couldn't stop thinking about how soft her lips were? How much he actually enjoyed when she pressed back? How warm she was as she clung to him? Why couldn't he look away from her now, as she moved from touching her lips to threading her fingers through her messy hair?

He thought about the excuse he gave her when he first kissed her. An experiment... Technically, that wasn't wrong. He didn't know if what he attempted was going to work, but after his other attempts had failed, it was the next step in his process, proving to be more of a success than he actually thought. Still, it was merely the term for his excuse, a throwaway reason to explain what he did to her. Yet, as he watched as one finger twirled a wisp of hair around it, her head slightly tilting, a part of her bangs moving in front of her line of sight, he began to calculate, to ponder, to form...

Slowly, carefully, he reached out one hand to pull back that wayward hair, sea-green eyes turning towards the sudden action. He shifted towards her, only a few centimeters at first, pushing the hair behind her ear. Their gazes met, and once again Kohaku was at a loss at trying to figure out exactly what Senku was thinking. Those eyes... those eyes were filled with nothing but mystery, and as much as she told herself to look away, she couldn't. The draw of that bloody red color kept her attention, and the longer she looked, the louder her heart began to beat. Her bottom lip quivered as he leaned closer and closer to her, her eyes slowly shutting as his lips met hers with the lightness of a feather, pressing only slightly, before quickly moving back. Her eyes opened barely, her vision blurred, his gaze appearing the same way. Fingers brushed against her cheek, another kiss that ended as quick as it started... her hands fell from her hair, but didn't know where to go or what to do. “What... what are you doing?” she whispered, unsure, a bit frightened.

A chuckle, a shiver up her spine. “An experiment,” he replied, his voice huskier than she had ever heard it.

Another shiver, a lick of her lips, “An experiment...?”

He smirked, an entertained scoff, then finally the capture. For the third time, Kohaku found herself thrown by this man, but she held no anger, no remorse. Her hands rested upon his chest, her back lining up against the wall. She was effectively pinned and a twitch of pain went through her body, but she didn't care. There was a battle brewing, but not like before. It was a battle for control, for passion, for necessity and desire. She pushed back just as hard as he was, her fingers digging into his bare flesh, enticing a groan from him that she found incredibly pleasant to hear. She smirked, and he took on her challenge. Parted lips allowed for him to nip at her lip, and he enjoyed the gasp that came after.

Oh, so that's where this was going... how primal, came the passing thought. She couldn't say that she didn't dislike it. Pushing herself away from the wall, she shifted until she was straddling his lap, arms around his neck, hands tangled into his spiky hair. His arms wrapped around her waist, keeping her steady, their lips parting for a moment but quickly finding their way back. Another nip on her lip, another gasp, but this time Kohaku was ready. Her tongue darted out, and this time it was his turn to gasp as she licked his bottom lip. He parted, his own now coming out to meet hers, the surprise of the initial touch causing them both to shiver before they continued their sinful dance.

He lowered her slightly to where she was touching the floor again. He began to move forward, her backwards, slowly, creeping, making their way towards the blanket, their bodies becoming more entangled as he gingerly laid her upon the cloth, resting between her bent legs. Kohaku moaned and squirmed as her dress shifted up her frame, finding it almost like a trap around her. The kiss was broken long enough for her to remove the offending barrier from her body, and they couldn't deny how much more intoxicating this was now that they were laid bare.

Lips parted, the need to take deeper breaths growing too deep, their eyes opening to look upon the other. They were sticky, sweaty, warm, but it wasn't unpleasant by any means. Glazed orbs, swollen lips, a brushing back of loose hairs. Senku watched as her tongue darted out to lick her lips, and he was definitely hating how uncomfortable things were becoming in his lower half, and she certainly had to notice.

“Senku...” she called out for him, shaking hands caressing his cheeks, “This... are you...?”

She couldn't make the words she wanted to say, and she bit down on her bottom lip. She was feeling something herself, a foreign, innate, deep feeling. Something related to his own predicament. Yet, she was unsure what to do with the feeling, how to share it with him. Could he notice it himself? He couldn't be oblivious to it, she second guessed herself. But she was growing more concerned... what was this going to lead to with both of them? The story of the birds and the bees... the questions she had about it, the awkward exchanges of looks with the young men of the village for days afterward. She knew what she could expect, but this would be her first... is this what she wanted? To have this sort of intimacy with Senku? What about him? What was he thinking? What did he want? Was he satisfied now? His experiment... was it complete now, or at least to his standard? In one part of her core, she didn't want this to end, but yet she fought herself because of how personal, how special, how important this really was.

Senku understood, although he didn't admit it aloud. Every question she had he had as well. Usually he was never at a loss for an answer, but this was not a normal situation. Yet, as he gazed down at her, as he held her, as he took in every breath, as he felt her chest brush against his own, all of those usual barriers he kept up broke down, piece by piece. Logic and consequences be damned tonight; whatever would come he'd deal with later. For tonight... tonight, he was simply a man, Kohaku was simply a woman, and he was not going to let her go.

His hands wrapped around her own, pulling them away from his face, flashing her a soft smile, gently moving his grip to her hands, fingers intertwining with one another, holding them to the sides of her head as his lips captured hers again. Once, twice, three times more... her head turned the side with a boneless sigh as he trailed light kisses against her right cheek, the column of her neck, to her collarbone. Brows furrowed, but not in an angry or flustered way... her breath began to feel as shaky as her legs felt. This... this felt... hot. She couldn't get the right words in her head, her legs shifting slightly, her back arching as he trailed those kisses across the collarbone, up the other side of her throat, pulling back to once again capture those feverish lips of hers. He groaned as her body moved to better align herself with his, the brushing of intimate areas more apparent, and it was more and more obvious what they were desiring.

Their hands released one another, her arms wrapping around his neck as his hands rested on either side of her curvy waist. His kisses trailed downward again, this time as they scored that sweet spot on her collarbone, he gave a little nip to her skin. “Ah!” she gasped, not expecting the little bite, the tips of her fingers gripping at his skin a little harder than she intended.

He chuckled, not minding the reaction she had. A stunted breath, the licking of lips... “Are you trying to eat me, Senku?” she asked, her voice sounding so enticing to his ears.

“Hmm... I am hungry,” he mumbled, nipping at her skin again, and she once again let out that enjoyable little moan.

She laughed, a throaty, delightful sound. Oh, so this was how he was going to play, huh? A bold thought came to her mind; she could also play this little game of his. Her hands moved to rest on his chest, pushing and rotating him with a gentle amount of force, his back now against the blanket and her atop of his frame, a devilish smile across her lips as she straddled him. Now it was his turn to widen his eyes in surprise; how quickly things changed! He didn't expect this little minx to turn the tides like this, but he couldn't deny how thrilling the idea was. If he wasn't excited before, he certainly was now.

“You caught me, lioness,” he remarked, smirking as he used the nickname he had first called her, “Now what will you do?”

Usually, she would be against being called a lioness. She hated the terms that people had used to describe her. Lioness, gorilla, beastly... all of those made her angry. She admits, she has a temper, quick to anger, quick to fight first and ask questions later. However, as she stared down at him, the feeling of his beating heart through his chest against the palms of her hands, the feeling of their heat against one another, that growing hunger in her stomach that she craved relief for, she felt a strange sense of pride in hearing it now. Lioness... oh yes, she liked the sound of that.

She licked her lips, leaning down and aligning her lips with his left ear, nipping a bit at the lobe. He flinched, not used to such a thing with that appendage, shivering when she let out a low hum. “Anything I want,” she whispered her answer, leaning back as she finished speaking.

He swallowed a lump in his throat; how daring and bold, but frightening the idea sounded! He watched as she grinned, barring a small glimpse of her teeth, her hands going behind her back. He knew she had nothing hiding back there, so what...?

Another lump formed in his throat as she undid the tie of rope that held her bra around her breasts, the makeshift cloth slipping from her hands to the ground, leaving her now nearly all bare. There was a flush to her cheeks, he knew it was there, but yet she seemed mostly unashamed of how she was appearing to him now. When the night began, the idea of being unclothed drove her mad with anxious embarrassment, but now... despite the heat of her face and the rush of adrenaline, she was not afraid to bare herself to him. And only to him, she felt in this moment.

As for Senku, he was in disbelief of her unabashed boldness, but couldn't deny that feeling in the back of his mind that was delighting in this moment. Once again, he gets to see a side of Kohaku that no one else had, that no one else could, and he liked that. He liked that far more than he thought he would. It was almost prideful, this feeling, and oh... that was exhilarating.

His hands went back to their place on her waist, exploring the tender aspects of her skin as they leaned in for another kiss, their tongues darting out in their sensual dance. Their fingers touched and brushed and felt over every scar their bodies shared, over every ripple of muscle, over every inch that would normally never be seen. A shaky moan escaped from Kohaku's lips as one hand caressed one of her breasts, thumb brushing over the nipple and causing sparks to run up her spine, breaking the kiss as her head fell to the side as he did the same move again. He grinned at that reaction, enjoying how he was taking down the lioness with just a simple touch. Although, it wasn't as though this reaction surprised him; his knowledge of anatomy proved very useful in this moment, and he had no doubt he would use it to gain more reactions from this ravishing beauty he had all to himself.

As she panted and gazed at him through that sideways glance, he used the moment to push himself up to be more equal to her, lips to her throat and trailing down her chest, little nips at her skin that caused her to squirm and groan, nails digging into his shoulders and upper back as she clung to him, desperate for every bit of his attention. His tongue darted out to lick at the nipple of the untouched breast, and her breath hitched, “S-senku!”

Oh, that calling of his name... the passion, the need in her voice. He was living for that. Scarlet eyes gazed up at her, admiring how her head was thrown back, her blonde locks falling around her shoulders, her lips open and aching.

A dark chuckle. “For someone that--” – the caressing hand giving a light squeeze – “-- who was acting high and mighty a moment ago --” – another lick – “you're allowing yourself to become the prey.”

She could barely process his words, yet she still smirked, her head leaning back as she grasped at the nape of his neck, fingers at the base of his hair, pulling his head back for the two to gaze at one another directly. “Are you sure about that?” she whispered, her free hand moving downward, brushing against his torso, above the hem of the makeshift underwear that helped to keep them apart.

Something flickered in those red orbs as she boldly played with the boundaries, twitching in reflex. Things were progressing at a speed that neither was expecting quite yet, but they weren't against it either. With one glance, they knew they were on the same page. They wanted this. They wanted one another, in this way. No more games, no more barriers. Passionate kisses resumed as Senku grasped at that wayward hand, gently pushing her back down onto the blanket, fingers deftly removing her final undergarment before removing his own, positioning himself again between her legs, and Kohaku gasp as she felt, for certain, his excitement against her body.

This was it... they were now entirely bare to one another. Nothing shielded them, nothing unseen by their heated eyes. Kohaku could feel something more in her stomach besides that unbridled heat. This was real, wasn't it? It was going to happen? Her first time... with Senku... that's what was going to happen, right? Yet... she was wonder if this was right. Would she wake up with regret come the morning, knowing that she gave herself to a man that has not and will likely never show her an ounce of romantic intention? Could she live with that? She wanted this now, that was for certain, but what about later? Once this happened... there was no way to go back.

Yet, as she gazed into those captivating orbs that had caught her attention ever since that first meeting, that thought was fading. Even if nothing came out of this... she was sure she wouldn't regret this. She didn't know what exactly she felt for Senku, but as this night showed her, she felt something. Something deep inside of her heart that she vowed to keep under lock and key even from her own consciousness, that was now coming forth after all of the words and affection they had shared. She didn't know what the future held for them, what lied beyond the dawn, but she knew this: she would not regret giving her all to him. If anything, she already did, the moment she pledged her devotion to his plan, to the Kingdom of Science.

Senku's thoughts aligned with hers, but his was less of regret and more of unsure and worry. He was not a naive man to ignore how deep and spiritual of a connection sex can be. It was one of the most vulnerable, most passionate, most intimate acts that humans can partake in. Despite all of the talk in his world of “no strings attached”, he knew that was a foolish thought to have. He desired, wanted her, so close to having her, but what would that mean for them? What sort of distractions could this cause for both of them in the long run? Would she desire more of him because of this? What about him? He couldn't deny that he was feeling something more now for her, even though he could likely reason that it was always there but pushed back to focus on his greater goals, but now that the floodgates were open, could he close them and act as though nothing had ever changed?

Those beautiful, ocean eyes... He didn't have all of the answers, but as he stared at her, watching those lips curl into that ever wonderful smile, one hand reaching out and cupping his cheek, he was falling hard. Whatever came after this, they would face it head-on, one way or another. And whatever it was that he was feeling in his chest, he'll figure it out. He always did.

“Kohaku, are you sure?” he asked, placing a hand upon her own as his gaze grew serious, needing to know her answer for absolute clarity before they took this final step, “Are you sure you want this? I... I don't--”

“I'm sure, Senku. With every part of me, I'm sure,” she replied, cutting him off, her firm tone answering him with not a hint of uncertainty.

That was all the answer he needed. He smiled, an actual smile, intertwining his fingers with her hand, laying them both down upon the ground as he aligned himself with her entrance. She tensed up slightly as he slowly pushed in, a little bit at a time, not wanting to hurt her. Their lips met once, twice, three times... finally that last, strong thrust and Kohaku let out a small yelp, biting her bottom lip as her eyes shut in reflex to the burst of pain. He began to worry. _'Shitshitshit--'_

“I'm sorry!” Senku whispered, “I should've warned--”

“It's okay, it's okay!” she hissed, her eyes opening fast as she hoped her gaze would reassure her frightened partner, “I'm okay... I promise, I'm okay.”

She kissed him repeatedly, squeezing his hand, whispering the mantra over and over again. He remained still for a few moments, allowing for her to relax and adjust to the new feeling. After a few moments, she gave him the permission to move. Slowly, gently, he began to slide in and out of her, the friction of each and every push and pull causing a mixture of different emotions and feelings to rush through their minds and bodies.

The pain was completely gone, leaving Kohaku to feel every inch of him within her. The heat that was in her stomach was building, curling into elements she couldn't describe, her heart racing, unable to catch her breath between every unbelievable moan that escaped her lips. Her eyes struggled to stay open, vision blurred as she gazed up at her partner. Both of them were coated in sweat, and she could see his brows furrowed, teeth gritted, his own noises muffled. Occasionally their lips met for a kiss, but both were unable to keep the contact up for too long, although not for lack of trying.

Senku was trying to concentrate on what he was doing... was he hurting her? Was this feeling as good for her as it was for him? What was she thinking, feeling? But not just that... watching as she moaned, her breath catching, the whispers of his name, that look she gave him through half-lidded eyes, the way her hair splayed across the blanket and fanned around her... she was beautiful. Beautiful, perfect, and amazing. The way she squeeze his hand, the way her body arched and reacted to every thrust, every motion... he couldn't help but feel an unusual sense of possession over her in this moment. Everything she was feeling, every sound she made, every writhe and call... all of it was in his reaction to what he was doing, what they were doing.

Beautiful, perfect, amazing... his Kohaku.

He couldn't help but let out a small, breathless laugh at the mere mention of that thought. Oh, how things had turned, twisted, and came to this moment... Senku Ishigami, the greatest scientific mind in the stone world, the man that swore off all romantic nonsense and illogical emotions, now was just as hopeless as Taiju was about Yuzuriha, as Chrome was about Ruri... and he was not, entirely, against the thought either.

Kohaku could sense a change in his demeanor, and while she couldn't string the words together to question him, she didn't have to. The flicker of light in her eyes sent him the message loud and clear. He scoffed, that classic smirk, as he captured her lips in the most searing of kisses she had ever experienced yet, hands moving to grasp at her hips as he increased the speed of his thrusts.

That coil in her stomach was beginning to unravel, everything that had built up coming to an apex within her body. The heat was unbearable, and she craved some sort of release from it. Her arms around his neck, nails digging into his skin in any desperate attempt to keep herself grounded. Her mind was foggy, her chest heavy, only able to make guttural noises.

“Senku... Senku...!” she cried out in whispers, and that prideful, possessive feeling rose again in Senku's chest as he heard her beg and call out to him.

Burying his head in her neck, he mumbled something that she couldn't quite make out, and with one forceful, meaningful, heavy threat after another, Kohaku came to her moment of release, the feeling of her tightening walls and the juices of her orgasm nearly sending him to the edge himself. He had to maintain some control, he knew that, knowing that he couldn't allow himself to fall into her as she was around him. Even in the craziness and desire of the moment, he was smart enough to keep his wits about him. The last thing he needed to worry about in this world was the idea of bringing in an unplanned life, especially one of his own genes.

With her riding out the waves of the most intense pleasure she had ever felt, she could help but groan at the disappearance of fulfillment from her nether regions, Senku pulling back but not leaving her side either. The two were spent in more ways than one, flushed and warm, chests heaving and breathing trying to get to a more steady level. Hands reached for one another's faces, brushing back bangs as lips met once, twice, three more times before Senku rolled over on the blanket next to her.

Kohaku knew, however, he had pulled back for a reason. He was smart for that, of course, knowing what she knew from the Hundred Tales, yet... that lioness instinct of hers kicked in. Despite her tired and shaking form, she turned and got up slightly, allowing for her to hover over Senku, one hand reaching for his erection while the other rested against his cheek, forcing him to look at her as her delicate fingers wrapped themselves around him, squeezing gently as she ran her hand up and down the length of him.

“Kohaku, you don't--” he tried to fight, but she wouldn't allow for it, silencing him with one finger upon his bruised lips.

She didn't say a word, just flashed that devilish smile of hers, lowering her head to bite at his collarbone, just as he had done to her, but this time lingering, leaving a small red mark. She was more than sure no one would be able to see it past the collar of his lab coat, and he flinched as she left her mark, watching with intense eyes as she leaned back, her hair falling back behind her, a small lick of her curved lips as she gazed down upon him with her own possessive intent, not stopping her ministrations upon him as well.

This sexy, untamed lioness of his... he gritted his teeth with his own dark grin, grabbing behind her neck and pulling her back to him, their lips and tongues and teeth dancing with one another in a vicious fight, with each second getting Senku to the brink that he had brought her to. Only when he was truly close did he reach out to slow and stop her, groaning against her lips as he finally stammered out her name as she had done, the depths of his orgasm spilling out into their hands, their explosive and sinful and most intimate act now complete. Once again, they could not stop staring at one another, disbelieving what they had done, wondering what they have become, but satisfied with what they had done, happy with one another, not an ounce of regret or awkwardness in sight, sound, or touch.

The ardor cooling, Senku reached for what remained of the scarf that Kohaku wore, wiping their hands clean and tossing it into the dying fire in hopes of giving it enough fuel to last the rest of the night, before the two redressed with their undergarments. Once done, they laid back down upon the blanket, after straightening it back out to cover more of the rocky ground, facing one another as they covered with the other blanket, smiling as they nestled, his arms pulling her tight against him, her hands upon his chest, their foreheads touching as the goddess of sleep finally, eagerly, overtook their eyes and minds, a whisper of “good night” as the last words they spoke.

Come the dawn of the morning, they awoke, not entirely rested but understandably so. They didn't speak, but didn't have to either. They knew exactly what had transpired, but knew exactly what to do about it. What they had... it was special. It was wonderful, amazing, messy, necessary... so many things that mere words couldn't describe. But they both knew it could not leave this cave. Whatever they thought, whatever they felt, whatever they still felt deep in their heart of hearts... it couldn't go back with them. There was too much at stake, too much to the grand plan of the Kingdom of Science, for both of them to fall into one another. Not now... at least.

With only glances to communicate, they re-wrapped the rocks and stones they collected yesterday within the blankets as before, redressed in their clothes, a small laugh when Kohaku was correct by the mark she had left being covered by his lab coat, but otherwise they kept to a reasonable but comfortable silence. Leaving the cave, there was some obvious damage from the storm's winds, but the travel back towards the village was not as treacherous as the two had thought it could've been. They did have to stray a bit from the path they had planned to take back, but luckily, Kohaku's instincts and lay of the land led them back to the village regardless, stopping once the village was in sight.

They needed to go back, but they couldn't... not yet, at least. Despite the silence and knowledge they both knew, they couldn't go back. Both of them stopped, despite knowing that they needed to go back. But they didn't know what to say to one another, despite knowing that they needed to say something. To confirm what they knew to each other, to confirm without a doubt that what happened was truly left behind. Even if it bothered them, even if it hurt a bit to think about... they had to.

Kohaku racked her brain, trying to find the words to say, her heart racing and ready to jump through her throat. Those feelings she had felt last night were roaring, and she knew that it would be hard to keep them to her subconscious now, knew that there was a chance that it would only grow from here, but she knew better... she couldn't share that with him now. Maybe in the future, maybe once things were over and the stone statues were reverted, but not now... she had to be the strong, proud, protective lioness, his faithful guard. However, she knew that he would not just think of her as that from now on, as she had thought before. He knew, even if he didn't express it well, that he cared for her as someone special to his life. A friend, a companion, an ally. Those weren't just words that she felt like he just used to get people to do what he wanted, she knew that he meant it. That thought, at least, enough for her right now.

Finally, the thought came to her... and she laughed at herself for it. Of all things... yet, she felt as thought it was the most appropriate. She turned towards Senku, that usual bright smile upon her face.

“Hey, Senku?”

He blinked, one brow quirked as he turned towards her, “Yeah?”

“Your experiment. Did it turn out exactly the way you thought it would?”

Blink, blink. A smile, an echo of hearty laughs. Kohaku didn't really need an answer to her question, of course, but it worked. Things were okay, she knew it, and that was enough. Wiping a tear from her eyes from the laughter, she turned back, repositioning the bag on her shoulders. She took the first steps forward, going back towards the village, a lighter feeling in her heart.

However, while he laughed, Senku did not feel that lighter feeling. He didn't answer her, because he didn't quite know how to answer. Experiment... that's how this all started, with that one word. That word that caused so much hurt, so much pleasure. How funny it was, how a word that describes the very basis of his lifelong work and passion was now attached to something so... he didn't quite know what to describe exactly it was. Much like the answer to her question.

The answer... it was both. The first time, it worked. It got the results he wanted. But the second time, the most important time... it opened up far more paths and possibilities than he could've thought possible. Yet... yet, he wasn't satisfied with the results as it was. As he gazed upon Kohaku's back, at the scars she gained last night, as he thought back upon their dance... hands balled into fists out of a sudden bout of determination, he stepped forward, one arm reaching out and grabbing tight to one of her wrists, pulling her to a stop and back towards him.

“Kohaku!”

She snapped her head back quickly, shocked by how he called to her, how he stopped her. “What is it, Senku?” she asked softly, taken aback by how suddenly he had moved.

He pulled at her wrist, a small “uwah!” noise emitting from Kohaku's lips as she crashed into his body, barely having a chance to push herself back and look up before his free hand went to her face, holding her steady as his lips crashed upon hers. Her eyes went wide, surprised by the sudden affection, but she relaxed herself, returning it with the same fervor. She didn't know why he did this, but the “why” didn't matter, she told herself. To have this one last kiss... it was a good way to close this moment of time in their lives.

After several seconds, they slowly, regrettably pulled back, but Senku did not release her face. Moving towards her ear, he whispered something to her, earning a small gasp, before he finally pulled back, that smirk she's come to like so much plastered upon his lips. She stood there, dumbfounded, as he released her and walked away, gazing back with a “come on, slowpoke” teasing call.

One hand brought to her chest, she just stood there, face turning pink as she stared at his back, before smiling and yelling at him to not call her such stupid names, quickly catching up to his side. As the two made their way back home, to where their friends and family awaited them anxiously with questions and concerns about their well-being, they fell back into their normal routines. Back to their normal roles. Back to doing everything they can to complete the master plan, knowing that there was more reason now to complete it. Something that was a secret between the two of them, something special, wonderful, a secondary goal they knew, deep down in their heart of hearts, they would meet and succeed that one day in the future.

_“There's a lot more I need to verify before the experiment is over with, my lioness... when this is all over, we'll need to do something about that.”_

_**-end-** _


End file.
